In search of elusive IPL title, Delhi Capitals makes changes yet again

Among the 10 franchises competing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), four teams—Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, and Lucknow Super Giants—are yet to win the title in the 17-year history of the T20 competition. Of these, Delhi Capitals has probably made the most changes, both in management and the team, in its quest to break the title jinx. They have come agonisingly close to winning the title but have faltered at the final hurdle.

So, with an aim to break the title jinx, Delhi Capitals, co-owned by GMR Group and JSW Group, has made sweeping changes to its support staff ahead of the 2025 IPL. More changes to the team are expected during the upcoming players’ mega auction, and the future of captain Rishabh Pant with the franchise remains uncertain.

Former India cricketer Hemang Badani, who played four Tests and 40 One-Day Internationals between 2001 and 2004, has replaced Australian Ricky Ponting as head coach. And, Venugopal Rao, also a former India player, has taken over from Sourav Ganguly as Director of Cricket (IPL). Ganguly has been reassigned a new role with JSW.

“With the mega auction around the corner, my job, along with the rest of the coaching staff, is cut out,” said Badani, who has also played for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.

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Rao, a former Delhi Capitals player (2011-2013) and part of the IPL-winning Deccan Chargers, shared his enthusiasm: “My association with the franchise has been long-standing, and I’m grateful for the trust our owners have placed in me by offering me this role.”

Kiran Kumar Grandhi, chairman and co-owner of Delhi Capitals, expressed optimism that the new leadership will bring about a change in fortunes. “With their proven track records as coaches, we’re confident that their expertise will be invaluable in helping us achieve our objectives and drive success for Delhi Capitals,” he said.

A history of changes

Delhi Capitals was originally named Delhi Daredevils when GMR Group bought the franchise for $84 million in 2008. The name was chosen by Delhiites through an SMS vote, with “Delhi Daredevils” winning over “Delhi Mughals”. Despite often having one of the most balanced squads, the team has struggled to convert this potential into success. They started well, reaching the semi-finals in the first two IPL seasons, but by 2011 they had slumped to last place. A year later, they staged a comeback and reached the playoffs.

However, a series of poor performances followed, prompting GMR to sell a 50% stake to JSW Sports for Rs 550 crore in March 2018. Despite this change in ownership, the team’s fortunes remained bleak, finishing last in 2018— their fourth wooden spoon in 11 seasons.

A dramatic turnaround came in 2019 when Delhi Capitals made the playoffs, followed by an even stronger 2020 season where they finished runners-up under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, losing to Mumbai Indians. However, they have struggled to maintain that momentum since, except for the 2021 season, when they again reached the playoffs.

In contrast, the franchise’s women’s team has shown greater consistency in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), launched in 2023. They reached the finals in both editions but fell short of winning the title.

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Even the Delhi franchise’s logo has been changed twice in a bid for better luck—so far, to no avail. Now, with a fresh round of changes, Delhi Capitals hopes to finally shed its tag as “always the bridesmaid” in the 2025 IPL.